The present invention relates to an improved golf club grip.
Applicant has previously developed resilient grips which successfully reduce shock to the muscle and arm joints of the users of golf clubs, tennis racquets, racquet ball racquets, baseball bats and other impact imparting devices. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,813 granted to applicant Aug. 25, 1998. Such earlier grips utilize a polyurethane layer bonded to a felt layer to define a strip which is spirally wrapped around the handle of a golf club, racquet or the like to conform to the external configuration or such handle. In certain of such grips the sides of the felt layer taper from the side edges of the strip and the polyurethane layer is formed with recessed reinforcement side edges which overlap to form a water retarding joint between the side edges of the strip as the strip is wrapped around the handle or over a resilient sleeve telescopically carried by the golf club handle. A problem common to polyurethane-felt golf club grips is the tendency of the side edges of the polyurethane-felt grips to unravel over a period of use from stretching of the strip as well as by frictional contact of the exterior of the grip with a golf bag as a golf club is removed from and returned into such golf bag.
Another problem is that such grips are prone to absorbing water. Accordingly, the grip will tend to absorb the perspiration from the user""s hand and may become saturated during play thereby causing slippage of the golf club in the user""s hands. The same problem occurs under wet conditions such as when playing golf in the rain. The golfer then either stops playing, or alternatively continues his game with reduced pleasure because of slippage of the grip in his hands.
Applicant has developed an improved shock resistant golf club grip utilizing a polyurethane-felt strip made up of two segments. Each segment is preferably of a different width. The upper surface of the narrower segment may be embossed with indicia so as to densify such segment and enhance the strength of such segment to thereby provide increased resistance against the edges of the segments being loosened from a golf club. The upper surface of the wider segment may be embossed with a friction enhancing pattern engaged by a golfer""s hands. Such embossing densifies the wider segment to further increase resistance against the strip being loosened from a golf club. The two segments may be of different colors so as to provide a golf club grip of a unique decorative appearance.
Additionally, the use of friction enhancing pattern of the wider strip results provides an all-weather grip which may be used under both wet and dry playing conditions with equally good results. Accordingly, in the event of rain the golfer can continue to play without slippage of the grip within the golfer""s hands.
The two-piece strip of the present invention may be spirally wrapped about a tapered resilient underlisting sleeve, with such sleeve being slipped onto the handle of a golf club shaft. Alternatively, the strip may be directly spirally wrapped about the handle of a golf club, tennis racquet or the like. When the two-piece strip is spirally wrapped about an underlisting sleeve, the sleeve may be positioned on a collapsible mandrel to provide a slip-on golf club grip that can be applied to a new golf club or can be utilized as a replacement golf club grip.